Defender of the Light

I’ve come to not much like change, I think.

Today, I had to “pull rank” on a member of the Legion, and I really didn’t want to.  Eriki, a young girl I’ve become fond of, simply would not listen to Duessel and myself.  From that fiasco a while ago with the order known as the Sanguine Tribunal, Duessel still hurts from it.  I still hurt from it.  Eriki listened to what happened, and refused to accept being told to not go anywhere near the Tribunal.

I don’t understand that.  Someone tells you to not go near someone else because they have done despicable things, and you’re curious if it’s true–that I understand.  But to flagrantly disobey orders from superiors, to shout to all the city that you’re going to go “kick their ass” anway–that I don’t get.  She refused to listen, and–ultimately, General Drimmer forced her to resign.

I still wish there was something I could have done, but–I can’t think of anything.  Nor can I help but think about the times I disobeyed orders, and what happened as a result.  People usually got hurt.  I wish I could make Eriki see that, make her understand where we were coming from.

I was at the Blue Recluse in the Mage Quarter with Gremise, a new Recruit, when Duessel stumbled in.  Actually, “stumbled” might be a bit kind.  He looked–and smelled–like he’d emptied every tavern in the city before coming to the Blue Recluse.  It saddened me to see him like that.  I knew he fancied Eriki (who didn’t, though?), and watching her leave, knowing she might get hurt, and being unable to stop her–no, I don’t blame him a bit.

Apparently she ran into a member of the Tribunal.  Elder Immor, I think she said the name was.  I don’t know who that is, as I wasn’t paying attention to names at the time I–encountered–them.  I hope it wasn’t the one who cast that spell on me and made me speak in whatever tongue it was.  Arthy would know the name.

I had to call it an early night.  Today had started off well.  I met with Harmona, and talked with her about the Legion, and even got her to sign up.  I was–happy, actually.  Then–everything else happened.  Oh, to make it worse–what led up to Eriki’s dismissal was, as I was leaving the Park (where Eriki, Duessel, and I were talking about what had happened before), I passed a man I remembered to be in the Tribunal.  I didn’t know if those accompanying him were as well, but–I wouldn’t have been surprised.

They were gathering in the Park, which is the last place I saw Eriki.  So, General Drimmer, his friend Kyra, her friend Mikhail, Duessel, and myself scoured the city until we found her in the Trade District’s inn.  There Kyra and I guarded the door while General Drimmer talked with Eriki, and–it ended unpleasantly, as I suppose I should have known it would.

I miss Eriki already.  She is–immature, very much so.  She refuses to listen to anyone, on anything, and thinks her hammer will solve every problem–but she had a nice heart, a kind soul.  I’ll miss that terribly.  I hope I can see her, though I think things will be strained.  I was, after all, the one who contacted General Drimmer about her in the first place, which led to her dismissal.

So many changes today, most of them distasteful.  No, I don’t think I like change very much at all.